The Main Event by Memory Makers Event Planning, LLC

If you are planning a large event that might be enhanced by the use of aerial photography, you may want to engage the services of a photographer or videographer who can provide a drone. Drone usage at personal events, such as weddings and reunions, is still in its infancy and not everyone likes it. Many photographers feel it takes away the intimacy associated with having a live photographer. Others feel it adds another dimension to their work. Some viewers find the drone's speed and movement make it difficult to enjoy the finished video, making it not worth the extra expense.

As we gear up for the summer event season, photographers will be in demand to cover everything from Grandma's 90th birthday party to a wedding, graduation party, reunion or another special event. Unfortunately, all photographers are not created equal. There are good ones and there are really bad ones. Your event will occur only once, so you want the best possible photos. Because most people rarely hire a professional photographer, they are often unsure how to evaluate one. Therefore, the following tips will help you make the best choice for your money (and your memories). First and foremost, check the photographer's web site. Do you see photos of other events like yours? Are most of the photos studio shots or were they taken at other locations as well? Are all or most of the photos posed, or do you see movement and spontaneity? Can you see the subject's entire body, if appropriate, or do you see people with missing feet, legs, or tops of heads? Are there heavy shadows, in...

Want to add a bit of pizazz to your wedding photos and you don't mind damaging your gown? If so, you might consider taking "trash the dress" photos. This is a new fad created by wedding photographers to create unique, once in a lifetime, photos. When a bride is willing to get her dress wet or dirty, she may be photographed wading in the ocean or a lake, jumping into a pool or lake, sitting on a mountainside or on the beach, riding a motorcycle, rolling in the mud, or in other unconventional situations or positions that can harm her dress. This summer one of my brides was photographed playing in the fountain at the Grove Plaza in downtown Boise while wearing her gown, though she was careful not to get too wet. A photographer told me about shooting a bride who jumped into a swimming pool at a country club in her gown. The groom and several of the groomsmen then joined her. (If they were wearing rented tuxes, they now own them.) Another bride told me about her wedding in ...